tropical grille

cuban inspiredplacein greenville. pretty simple dishes with various toppings mainly consisting of a protein (chicken/pork) and rice. good variety of sauces to try. frequent diners card actually worth keeping track of. after 5 meals, get your 6th free. will be back!

this food was amazing. i have never had cuban food and after being tired of the same old thing decided to give thisplacea try. i love it. it's quick, delicious and healthy. i will definitely be going back.

a discovered gem among the rocks. what i got: cuban chop
taste: delicious, savory, and fresh. the yellow rice (which i was told to be saffron rice) complemented the seasoned and grilled cuban chicken very nicely whereas the black beans and pita bread provided a neutral goodness. they have these signature sauces that are to die for. for instance, i got the sweet curry sauce, and it was a creamy semi-sweet blend that actually made the chicken a whole lot more flavorful, to my surprise. to me, its taste was far more superior than the curry dipping sauce they serve at the melting pot.

quality: another reviewer stated that their chicken is hormone free and whatnot. since i got the chicken, i can say that the grilled taste was there. from what i've seen, they cook the meat ahead of time and serve them in large heated food trays that are prepared for fast orders. i have no complaints there, since they do serve carry out more often.

service: it was my very first time dining on cuban food and at tropical grille! i know that it may not be authentic as we wish it to be, but since the food is so delectable here, i'm assuming the real cuban food must taste even better. the cashier was so amicable and told me right off the bat that i would enjoy the deluxe or regular cuban chop, and she was right! other customers came by and were telling me that it was very difficult to order one item since they are all legitimate. the restaurant is casual and i didn't see any waiters/waitresses, so theplaceis down to earth.

price: inexpensive! i paid $13 for two people, and had leftovers. well, i only ate half my bowl, and had plenty to take back home with me. for excellent taste and quality, i don't mind the price at all. :)

delicious!. it is so great to find aplacethat has real cuban food! the roasted pork and plantains are out of this world. reminds me of home in south florida.

first experience. i read the current review in the greenville news and was excited to try a new food. our first time there and anything but what was expressed in the write up. there were 4 of us. i was the first to order, so immediately they handed me my plate, at my request to eat with the rest of my party they held the plate back. when everyone's meals were ready my food was cold and theirs luke warm. i was impressed theplacewas clean and thought how nice there was christian music playing but when my daughter went to the counter to get a carry out box she heard only the staff speaking to each other with a "shut the "uck up".......thisplacewas hardly what the write up indicated. i think the owners are probably great people but we won't be going back. based on other reviews, i can't understand why our visit was so bad....

the best in the upstate. thisplacemade me excited simply being a cuban restaurant. i got there and that is where the magic begins. it looks very unsuspecting, but the customer service and food quality rivals any restaurant in the upstate! go and have a super experience and make sure you tell mike that justin sent you!!

although its an hour drive for me i had the location on pelham rd and highway 14 cook up a pork shoulder,rice with beans, and yuca for an event i was having at my home. it was a big hit among the "gringos" that came over. definitely the best cuban food around.
i wish there was a location in anderson sc or greenwood so i could eat there more often.


-----14 jul, 2012-----

i was born and raised in miami and have been in the greenville area for 8 years. i have seen cuban restaurants come and go time and time again. i dont see that happening with tropical chicken. the quality of food is excellent and the family is running the show rather than putting someone in charge who knows nothing about cuban cuisine or how to cook cuban food. unfortunately i think people are hesitant to try cuban food because they think it will be like mexican food. well they are very wrong. theres no salsa or tortilla here. cuban food is slow cooked with sauces and vegetables like peppers,onions,garlic, etc so you can experience your tastebuds dance with the juicy flavors. if i had to vote i would say tropical chicken is #1 in the area and i dont see anyone beating them out of it. i love the food so much i drive 40 miles just to eat lunch. thisplacegets a 100% from me.my only suggestion to lazaro is you need to put in a coffee machine so i can enjoy a cortadito or cafe con leche when i'm done with my meal.

tropical chicken grille is amazing!! the portion sizes are large, prices are reasonable, chicken is tasty and very tender. greatplacefor a quick casual meal.

too much food!. i came to eat because of the reviews on this site. i am now finishing my meal and typing this real time. yes, they have wi-fi, you have to ask for the key.

my first advice is come hungry. the plate they gave me weighed two pounds! second, the people are so nice. the service is very good. third, the yuca fries are good, albeit a bit greasy. the sauce is delicious. all the sauces i tried are home made.

thisplaceis a safe bet for a good meal at a fair price. i definitely recommend it.

very impressed!. my partner and i live in asheville, nc, and were heading to greenville to pick up friends from the airport. we checked urbanspoon for aplaceto eat (which is fast becoming habit because we're pretty picky and reviewers on this site are so helpful), and found tropical chicken grill. my partner is from miami, so when he saw more than one miami-native rave about the food, he was sold. the spot was a little hard to find, and more obvious signs would help a lot. the interior was very simple, and i was relieved that there were two little tables outside because a tv was on inside (just not my thing). we ordered the cuban sandwich and the cuban roasted pork chop large plate to share. the cuban was really good overall. the pulled pork was a little dry and most of the stuff was in the middle so the outer bites were not as exciting. but the inside, with the pork, ham, mustard, pickles, and melted cheese on crusty bread, was fabulous! the flavor was great -- what a cuban should be. the pork plate was excellent. the pork was rich and moist, the black beans were perfectly seasoned, and the rice soaked up the flavor of both. my partner was disappointed it was white rice and not yellow/saffron rice, which is traditional. but again, overall we were both very happy and my partner was thrilled to have great cuban food again. the prices are ridiculously cheap, and the amount of food you get for the money makes it a great find. the only problem is that it's an hour and a half away from where we live!!!! we would frequent thisplaceif we could.

best cuban food since i left miami!. we moved out of florida 12 years ago and have desperately missed the wonderful cuban food available on every corner in miami!
i have learned to cook it at home, but it's still not the same.
we were visiting greeneville and found this unassuming nook and were blown away at the authenticity of this food. the owner even brought us some "off the menu" stuff he had in the back. i was in heaven! they really know what they are doing.

amazing authentic cuban sandwich, bistec empanizado (breaded steak), beans and rice, plantains, and meat or guava pastelitos (pastries)

you have to check thisplaceout.

it looks kind of "fast food"-ish from the outside, but the kitchen is whipping out the good stuff for sure!!!!
enjoy!!!!